Leap Motion previews its gesture control magic on Windows

Leap Motion is on its way. With the clock ticking down to the PC gesture controller’s July 22 launch, Leap has a brand new teaser video that showcases the device’s interaction with Windows. If you'd forgotten how exciting Leap was when we first got the chance to play with it, this might be enough to get your blood pumping again.

The clip (which you can watch below) shows hand gestures replacing mouse pointer or multitouch in a variety of Windows apps. For all of the flak Microsoft has taken for Windows 8, Leap and Windows 8 look like a perfect match. All of that multitouch capability – a point of contention for many PC owners – fits like a glove with Leap gestures.

Sleight of hand

In case you somehow missed the Leap Motion bandwagon, we’re looking at a tiny gizmo that rests next to your PC (desktop or laptop). Think a pint-sized Kinect that allows you to control your computer with mid-air waves, points, and other sleights of hand. It’s extremely sensitive, letting the tiniest of movements register onscreen. Cue the inevitable Minority Report comparisons.

Leap Motion will work out-of-the-box with most Windows and Mac OS X apps. But the real fun starts when developers optimize their work for Leap. The company knows this, and is helping to encourage development with its own app store, Airspace. On last check, it was stocking up on apps like Cut the Rope, Autodesk plugins, and Corel Painter apps.

If the video below tickles your fancy, you can pre-order Leap Motion today for US$79.99. The device was originally scheduled to ship this month, but the company is now dead-set on getting it into customers' hands starting on July 22.

Will Shanklin is Gizmag's Mobile Tech Editor, and has been part of the team since 2012. Will has a Master's degree from U.C. Irvine and a Bachelor's from West Virginia University. He currently lives in New Mexico with his wife, Jessica.All articles by Will Shanklin